Friday, December 21, 2012

The new READER column is online and includes the exclusive to Hoodoo Blues FIRST announcement of Terry O'Halloran's first headliner for the Sin City Soul & Blues Fest. The Tedeschi Trucks Band is scheduled to perform, with more headliners to come. The event takes place Sept. 15-17 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The current list of confirmed acts so far includes Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lonely Boys, Tab Benoit, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, The Austin All-Stars featuring Malford Milligan and W.C. Clark, Ruthie Foster Band, Carolyn Wonderland, Curtis Salgado's Big Band, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, Trampled Under Foot, James Harman, Orgone, Monophonics, The Iguanas, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, John Nemeth, Karen Lovely, Contino, Brad Cordle Band, Kris Lager Band and Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers. O'Halloran expects to play over 30 bands during the three day destination blues fest. Admission to the performances is limited to those purchase room/hotel/festival packages. Packages will go on sale Jan. 1, 2013.Sign up for the email notifications at www.sincitysoulandbluesrevival.comDave Alvin's big brother Phil had a medical scare in Europe while on tour with the current Blasters earlier this year. Phil is OK now but has some serious medical bills to take care of and friends are hosting a benefit in January that is already sold out. But you can still send a donation if you are so inclined. Dave reports,

"The benefit show for my brother is SOLD OUT!
Sincere thanks to everyone who bought tickets to help him out. It means
the damn world to us. For those of you who've asked me about a way to
donate because you can't attend the concert,
here's the information: Make checks/money orders payable to: New
Highway, Inc. 1563 Solano Avenue #439 Berkeley, California 94707 Please
also address the envelope to New Highway, Inc. Thank you all again for
your extremely kind support and generosity." - Dave Alvin

Dave & Phil performing earlier this year.

Still smiling from catching three Jon Dee Graham shows in four nights earlier this month...here're a couple of clips from friends who did some recording of songs at the shows.

Having Jon Dee in town sent me back to listening to his HOBART BROTHERS & LIL' SIS project with Freedy Johnston and Susan Cowsill. I really like this song a lot.

Jon Dee's been playing in Austin with a bunch of cool cats for a Sunday brunch at Strange Brew, they are calling themselves the Purgatory Players...here's a little something called "I Will Walk With You" from one of those shows since I can't find a version of Jon Dee's song "I Hate Christmas," with the Resentments, online.

Oh, and the Blues Music Award nominations are out, and they include Curtis Salgado in the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year category. Find the link to the BMA nominations in this week's READER column.Have a fearless, joyous holiday season. Celebrate with music, laughter, friends and love. The world didn't end, so get out tonight and see some music...!Here's this week's READER column. See ya in the New Year!www.thereader.com/index.php/comments/sin_city_soul_blues/

Sin City Soul & Blues & MoreBy B.J. HuchtemannFormer Omaha promoter Terry
O’Halloran’s Las Vegas blues festival continues to take
impressive shape. Scheduled for Sept. 15-17, 2013, at the Rio All-Suites Hotel
and Casino, O’Halloran plans for over 30 bands performing on three stages.
O’Halloran has just confirmed 2012 Grammy winner the Tedeschi Trucks Band as one of the
headliners, with more headliner announcements to come. Acts currently booked
include Tab Benoit, Ruthie Foster,
Tommy Castro, Royal Southern Brotherhood, The Iguanas, The Monophonics, Sister
Sparrow & The Dirty Birds and more. Several local acts also
will showcase their talents at the much-anticipated event. O’Halloran’s Sin City Soul & Blues Revival is
unique because when the hotel packages are gone, the festival is sold out,
guaranteeing that festival guests will enjoy an exclusive experience. See sincitysoulandbluesrevival.com
or follow the link on the site to the event’s Facebook page. Costs and pre-sale
ticket discounts will be posted Jan. 1, 2013. O’Halloran currently resides in
Austin, Texas, after being a major force on the Omaha music scene for over 25
years.

21st SaloonSamantha Fish, 2012
Blues Music Award winner for Best New Artist Debut, plugs in at The 21st
Thursday, Dec. 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m. High-energy bass player Biscuit Miller & The Mix is
scheduled at The 21st Thursday, Dec. 27, for their Omaha debut. Miller is
familiar to local audiences from his years with Anthony Gomes’ band.

Hot NotesRunny Nose Pete heats
up Sullivan’s, 40th & Dodge, Friday, Dec. 21, after 9 p.m. with gritty,
guitar-driven, gutbucket blues.
Blues Music Award nominations were announced last week by the national Blues
Foundation. Oregon’s Curtis Salgado,
a favorite of Omaha audiences, received four nominations including one for B.B.
King Entertainer of the Year. See blues.org/bluesmusicawards.

About Me

B.J. Huchtemann has been writing about local music for more than 20 years. I write a column for The Reader called Hoodoo, focused primarily on the area's blues and roots music. I've been a contributing writer to Blues Access magazine. Music makes the world a much better place.
"False Hope is Still Hope." - Jon Dee Graham